Two sisters seeking a contemplative multiday walk without the religious overtones or crowds of the Camino de Santiago found an equally rewarding alternative along France's Canal du Midi - but discovered that finding resources for non-pilgrimage long-distance walks remains surprisingly difficult.
The 6-day walk from Carcassonne to Béziers, completed a year after walking part of the Camino from Lisbon to Coimbra, offered flat terrain, rich history, and far fewer walkers, according to a post on r/travel. The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site completed in 1681, stretches 240 kilometers from Toulouse to the Mediterranean Sea.
"Finding resources for long walks that are not part of pilgrimages is not easy," the travelers noted. Their workaround: searching for long-distance cycling routes, which proved more informative than resources aimed at walkers.
The route offers ideal walking conditions - completely flat along the canal towpath, a mix of shaded and sunny sections, and historic sites from start to finish. Carcassonne's Medieval city ranks among Europe's best-preserved fortified towns. Béziers, the birthplace of French Resistance hero Jean Moulin, provides a historically significant endpoint.
Their October timing proved perfect. Cool mornings, warm afternoons, and only a few hours of light rain over six days. Crucially, late October sits outside peak tourist season, meaning they encountered few other multiday walkers - "generally, it was just us."
Accommodation required advance planning. The itinerary: Carcassonne (hotel), Marseillette (Booking.com), Argens-Minervois (Airbnb), Argeliers (Booking.com), and Béziers (hotel). Unlike the Camino, which features purpose-built pilgrim infrastructure with guaranteed accommodation every 20-30km, the Canal du Midi requires researching towns along the route and confirming lodging availability.
Finding food and water also demanded more planning than established pilgrimage routes. Some businesses shown on Google Maps proved seasonal and closed in late October. The travelers recommend confirming operating hours before relying on specific stops.
The absence of crowds emerged as both advantage and consideration. The solitude offers what many seek from multiday walks - space for conversation, disconnection from daily life, and contemplative time. However, it also means less infrastructure, fewer walkers to share experiences with, and more self-sufficiency required.
The Canal du Midi route passes through wine country, with the Minervois region offering opportunities for tastings and vineyard visits. The canal itself features distinctive plane trees lining the towpath (though many have faced disease in recent years), historic locks, and engineering marvels from the 17th century.
Carcassonne to Béziers covers approximately 100 kilometers over six days - a moderate 16-17km daily pace suitable for walkers of reasonable fitness. The flat terrain makes it dramatically easier than sections of the Camino that cross hills or mountains.
The experience highlights an underserved niche in walking tourism. The Camino has become increasingly crowded, with some sections seeing hundreds of walkers per day during peak season. Many walkers seek the multiday walking experience - the rhythm of daily movement, simplicity of needs, conversations with companions - without necessarily seeking spiritual pilgrimage or Catholic religious context.
Alternatives exist but receive far less attention: England's Coast to Coast walk, Germany's Romantic Road, Italy's Via Francigena, or Scotland's West Highland Way. Each offers multiday walking with varying levels of infrastructure and challenge.
The Canal du Midi's advantages include easy navigation (follow the canal), accessibility from international airports (Toulouse and Montpellier), excellent food and wine along the route, and historical depth without requiring religious context.
The travelers found the walk "highly recommended" and remain willing to share additional details with those planning similar routes. Their experience suggests that with proper planning, non-pilgrimage multiday walks can deliver the contemplative, restorative experience many associate with the Camino - minus the crowds, religious focus, and infrastructure that has turned parts of the Camino into what some describe as a spiritual theme park.
For walkers seeking paths less traveled, the Canal du Midi offers a template: identify historic routes with walkers and cyclists, research accommodation town by town, confirm seasonal operating hours for services, and embrace the additional planning required as part of creating a more personalized experience.
